Commentary

Truly those words of Supreme Justice to Noah are no mean commendation of justice: "I have seen that you are just in my presence" (Gen 7:1). It is a mark of great merit that God declares to Abraham that on his account the promises that were made to him are to be fulfi1led... What a favor it was also that on Moses' account he strove with and confounded his rivals (Num 12:6)... And who among them all is like David, of whom the Lord rejoices that he has found a man according to his own heart (1Sam 13:14).
Yet however great these or any others may have been, neither among these nor among other men born of women, as he declares who was born of a virgin, has there arisen one greater than John the Baptist. For although star differs from star in brightness,(1Cor 15:41) and in the choir of the holy constellations which enlightened the night of this world before the rising of the true Sun some shone forth with a wonderful brightness, none was greater or more splendid than this Morning Star, the burning and shining Lamp which the Father prepared for his Christ (Ps 132[131]:17). He is the Morning Star that anticipates the light, the Forerunner of the Sun, proclaiming to mortals that the day is at hand, crying out “to those who sleep in darkness and the shadow of death” (Lk 1:79): "Do penance; for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Mt 3:2). As if to say: "The night has passed away, day is at hand; cast away the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Rom 13:12). “Rise up, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will enlighten you” (Eph 5:14).